Corner-brace.



N0. 637,217. Patented Nov. l4, I899. W. W. SHERWIN.

CORNER BBACE.

(Application filed. Kay 6, 1899.)

No. Model.)

1H: uonms PETERS 120.. Pucrroumn, wnswucmu. u. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD V. SHERWIN, OF GOLDEN CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK E. SHERVVIN, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

CORNER-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,217, dated November 14, 1899.

Application filed May 6, 1899, Serial No. 715,797. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLARD W. SHERWIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Golden City, in the county of Barton and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corner-Braces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement in corner-braces for boxes, and is designed more [0 especially to provide a tight and strong brace or fastening for the corners of the bodies of box-buggies and similar vehicles, providing a construction which will present a smooth finish and connect the side and end pieces in such manner as to form a tight and firm joint and give a neat finish at the corners of the body.

The invention contemplates a construction in which a rounded or angular corner is formed bya vertical locking-strip, preferably of hard wood, with the grain running vertically, and so connecting the parts of the body'or box as to form a strong unyielding joint and permit of a neat and permanent finish.

In the construction of the bodies of buggies the corner joints as usually constructed show an open joint after a short while, due to a shrinking of the wood, and also by presenting thin edges in 'miterin g the corners the 0 said corners are susceptible to injury, and to obviate these objections to the ordinary square corners and provide a neat and strong joint to insure a permanent smooth finish I have devised the corner fastening or brace 3 5 which is hereinafter fully described in the fol lowing specification and the novel features of construction more specifically set forth in the appended claims.

Though primarily intended as a corner- 40 brace for the bodies of buggies and other vehicles, it will appear hereinafter that the improved brace or fastening may also be applied to the corners of seats,furniture, or other work where an outside wood finish is desirable.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a corner brace or fastening constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the reinforcing-plates.

'Wifh particular reference to said drawings, A and A designate the side and end pieces,

respectively, of the box or structure to which the improved fastening is applied, and B designates the bottom of the same.

In carrying out my invention the adjoining ends of the side and end pieces are beveled inward, as shown by a, and separated, while the bottom board B, to which said pieces are attached, is cut away at the corner a short distance inward from the ends of the side and end pieces. Filling in the corner left open by the construction of the parts just described is a locking-strip or key-piece C, the outer edge cof which is either rounded or angular, while the sides are formed with dovetailed recesses c, vertically disposed and adapted to receive the beveled ends of the side and end pieces A and A, forming a firm connection for the parts and securely bracing them. The dovetailed recesses in the key-piece give to said key-piece a head which overlaps the beveled edges of the side and end pieces and an inner portion or practically wedgeshaped body which may bear against the inner sides of the said pieces. It will be noted that by cutting away the bottom at the corner to the extent hereinbefore mentioned the said key-piece C extends to the plane of 8c the under side of the bottom, so that the said key-piece can be nailed to the bottom. In some instances the side and end pieces of the box or body may be attached to the bottom after the key-piece is placed in position and the beveled ends fitted closely into the dovetailed recesses; but Where the key-piece is applied after the said side and end pieces are attached to the bottom it is slid vertically into place, and in this case a closerjoint could go be furnished by having the ends of the pieces A and A converge slightly from top to bot tom, and by having the key-piece correspondingly shaped it could be driven into place, and thereby insure a close fit. With this ar- 5 rangement the key-piece would be somewhat longer than the depth of the side and end pieces, and after being driven into place it would be cut off on a line with the upper and lower edges of said pieces. It will be noted that the grain of the key-piece should extend vertically, and the thin edges joining the flat sides of the side and end pieces in a continuous curve are not likely to be injured or marred, and to insure a close joint the beveled edges of the side and end pieces maybe glued into the dovetailed recesses of the key- .piece. The parts of the side and end pieces which form the outer part of the joint. between said side and end pieces and the key-piece present an obtuse angle in contradistinction to an acute angle formed by the miter-joint in the usual manner.

In order to strengthen the joint constructed as hereinbefore described, I reinforce the same by a casting,\vhieh serves to more closely bind the parts and prevent any shrinking of the side and end pieces and bottom boards or sills. To this end said casting presents plates D and D, which are attached to the inner sides of the side and end pieces A and A, respectively, and a connecting-plate E, which lies against the inner side of the keypiece 0, said casting also having inwardlyprojecting flanges e 6, attached to the sills or bottom boards B,and present tongues d,\vhich enter the dovetailed recesses. The plates D and D of the casting depend below the flanges e e, as shown in the drawings, and as the said reinforcing-plates are attached to the side and end pieces the tongues bearing against the bottom board will serve to assist in preventing the said pieces shrinking longitudinally, and thereby opening the joint.

As the corners of a buggyare usually more susceptible to injury than any other part of the body, I prefer to make the key-piece of hard wood, with the grain running vertically, and by connecting the other parts of the body to said key-piece in the manner hereinbefore described a very close-fitting tight joint is provided and. after being smoothed and polished in the usual manner will form a permanent finish and will make it possible to present an invisible joint.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to provide a corn er-brace by employinga cornerpost or connecting-piece with the grain running vertically, and I therefore do not'claim such a joint, broadly; but

Vhat I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a corner-brace, for the purposes set forth, the combination with the side pieces A A, bottom B, and key-piece C, the latter having dovetailed recesses in its edges; of a reinforce or casting comprising the side pieces D D separated from each other at their adjoining edges,a connecting-plate E terminating above the lower edges of said side pieces and connected to the side pieces a shortdistance from their adjoining edges, and the flanges e e and e projecting inwardly from the side piecesD D and connecting-plate E, said flanges being adapted to rest upon the bottom B of the structure, as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

YVILLARD V. SIIERVVIN.

\Vitnesses:

W. P. 'IALBERT, JOHN C. OBRIEN. 

